Stove



Oct. 17, 1939. B. B, KAI-mv 2,176,076

STOVE Filed'April 27, 1932 2 sheets-sneet 1 B. B. KAHN Oct. 17, 1939.

sTovE` Filed April 2'?,A 1952A 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 00 V i Z Patented Oct. 17, 1939 PATENT OFFICE STOVE Bertrand B. Kahn, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Estate Stove Company, Hamilton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 27, 1932, Serial N0. 607,740

2 Claims.

This invention relates to heating appliances and more particularly to control devices therefor for regulating the flow of fuel to a burner.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a fuel control device for gas stoves and the like comprising a valve, and a remotely positioned manual control coupled thereto by a flexible connection of simple construction affording a positive drive in the direction of controlling movement.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a control device in which the manual control is operatively connected to a shut-o' valve and is connected to an automatically regulated l5 valve for adjustment thereof through the medium of a flexible 'shaft for concomitant movement of the shut-olf valve and adjustment of the automatically regulated valve. K

A further object of the invention is the provi- 20 sion of a control device comprising a manually actuated shut-off valve and an adjustable control valve that is automatically actuated in accordance with heat conditions within the stove and is coupled to the shut-a valve by a exible connec- 25 tion that is not affected by varying heat conditions and which affords a. positive drive connection for concomitant adjusting movement of the shut-0H and control valves.

Other objects and advantages of the invention 30 willy be apparent from the following description,

the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a stove constructed in cordancewith this invention;

Fig'. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; 0 Fig. 3 is a horizontal'section showing the interior of the automatically regulated valve;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view with certain of the parts shown in section as indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig; 2; y

Fig. 5is an elevational view of the shut-off valve plug; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentaryview of the exible coupling.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a gas cooking stove, and in the drawings like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views thereof. The stove comprises generally a cooking top portion II for accommodation of the cooking top burners I2, and 55 an oven compartment I3 having a door I4 and burner I5. The various burners are controlled through the provision of valve handles that project through the stove front panel I 6.

Fuel for the various burners is carried through a manifold I8 that is connected to some suitable 6 source of supply. The cooking top burners, as exemplified by the burner I2, have a valve connection I9 to the manifold I8 and an operating handle that is accessible from the stove front. The fuel flow to the oven burner is controlled through a shut-on valve 22 and an automatically regulated valve 24.

The oven burner shut-off valve 22 is connected to the fuel manifold through the provision of a threaded coupling 25 incorporating a union connection 26. This shut-olf valve comprises a barrel-like housing 2l within which a fuel controlling plug 28 is adapted to rotate by movement of the control handle 30 that-is attached to the stem 29 of the valve plug. Upon moving the valve 20 plug 28 to an open position the fuel ows through an inlet port 3I around an annular groove 32 in the valve plug and out through a port 33. The outlet 33 has a union connection 34 with a pipe 35 that communicates with the automatically regulated valve 24.

The automatically regulated valve 24, which is shown mounted upon the oven wall 36, comprises a temperature responsive device 38 which responds to the heat conditions within the oven to regulate the ow of fuel through the valve 24. The temperature responsive device 38 is in the form of concentrically related members having different expansion coeflcients so that upon a change in temperature there will be a relative movement between the adjacent free ends of the members. As shown, the temperature respo'nsive -device comprises a tube 40 which is xedly held at one end within an extension 4I formed on the body 39 of the valve 24. The opposite end of this member 40 is provided with a cap 42 having a plug end 43 that bears against the end of an enclosed rod 44. 'Ihe free end of the rod 44 is in contacting engagement with an axially movable pin-45 that iguided within the passage 46 formed 45 within the extension 4I and concentrically related to the tubeA member 40. The pin 45 bears against a bar 48 which operates as a lever in regulating the movement of a valve disk 49. 'Ihe valve disk 49 seats in a dividing wall 50 of the valve body 39 and serves as a controlled closure between that passage of the valve body indicated vat 5I which is in communication with the fuel inlet pipe 35,

` and that passage of the valve body indicated at 52 which communicates with the fuel pipe 53 that connects to the oven burner I5. The valve disk 49 has a stem portion 55 which is guided in a hub projection 56 of the valve body 39, and terminates at 51 in contact with the bar or lever 48.

As the heat conditions within the oven change the pin 45 is caused to move axially in accordance with the'change in length with the members of the temperature responsive device 38. 'I'his results in movement of the lever arm 48 to actuate the valve disk 49 accordingly. The valve disk is moved toward open position by expanding movement of the elements 40 and 44 and is urged toward closed position through the provision of a spring 60. In order to regulate the valve 24 to maintain a desired temperature within the oven |3 the lever arm 48 is provided with an adjustable fulcrum in the form of a screw 6| which threadedly engages the valve body 39 at 62 and projects within the space 63 into contact with the bar 48 for adjusting the positioning of the bar and thereby effecting a desired oven control.

Manual adjustment of the valve 24 is controlled through provision of a flexible shaft 65 which extends from the adjusting screw 6| for attachment to a manual control for adjusting the setting of the screw 6|. As shown, the flexible shaft 65 terminates in a stud end 66 in which is provided a cross pin 61 for the establishment of a driving connection with the manual adjustment.

Although the manual adjustment for the automatically regulated valve 24 may be a separate device having no connection with any other fuel control on the stove, it is shown incorporated in the shut-oil valve 22 so that the supply of gas to the oven burner and the adjustment of the valve 24 can be accomplished through actuation of a single control. As shown, the shutoi valve plug 28 is provided with a sleeve-like extension 68 having a central bore 69 of such diameter that the stud 66 is a sliding fit therein, and has axially extending slots 10 for reception of the driving pin 61. In order to provide sufficient movement in the plug of the shut-ofi' valve 22 for desired adjustment of the valve 24 the valve plug 28 is constructed so that it maybe turned an amount greater than is necessary to move the plug 28 from off to "on positions. As shown, the annular groove 32 that forms the fuel passage through the valve plug 28 extends substantially 270 around the valve plug. The remaining un-grooved portion of the plug serves as a shut-off to close communication from the inlet port 3| when the valve is in the oi position. Upon moving the valve to the right from "off position the groove 32 communicates with the port 3| to provide a passage through the shut-off valve. The `valve may then be moved,

` while on, an additional amount limited by the extent of the slot 32. This additional movement provides the required movement in the screw 6I to adjust the valve 24 for maintenance of a desired oven temperature. The proportioning of parts within the valve 24 is such that a rotational movement of the screw 6| through the amount permitted by the travel of the valve plug 28 in` the on position is sufficient to regulate the.

29. A spring 11 serves to tension the dial against the handle 30. 'Ihe dial setting is read from a reference mark 18.

The flexible shaft 65 is constructed so as to provide a positive drive between the manual con- 5 trol 30 of the plug 28 and the adjusting screw 6| in the direction of movement of these parts while permitting a flexible connection between the two. The positive drive is afforded by constructing the flexible shaft of concentrically 10 related coil springs of opposite pitch. As shown, the shaft consists of a coil spring 13 in the form of a right hand spiral that is enclosed Within a coil spring 14 wound as a left hand spiral. The ends of the coil springs are suitably anchored to 15 the stud 66 and and screw 6|. As shown, the spring ends terminate within a socket 15; they are attached thereto by brazing or some other suitable means of securing them.

'Ihe flexible drive connection between the auto- 20 matically regulated valve 24 and the operating handle 38 affords a convenient means of assembly in that the control handle and its associated parts may be assembled independently of the valve 24 and, after assembly, can be coupled to- 25 gether by merely inserting the stud end 66 within the sleeve 66. Owing to the flexibility of the shaft 65 it can be readily deformed to such shape that the stud 66 can be attached to the sleeve 68. The provision of the two coil springs results 30 in a positive drive so that any movement of the control handle 30 is communicated to the adjusting screw 6| without lost motion in the direction of adjusting movement, although the shaft is free to move or twist in any other direction. 35 By constructing the flexible shaft so that a positive drive connection is afforded the valve 24 is caused to act in accordance with the setting of the operating member 30 without regard to changing heat conditions which might affect the to relationship between the valve 24 and the indications provided on the control handle dial. The dial of the manual control is calibrated so as to indicate the positioning of the various valve parts and, as a result of the rigid driving connec- 4.5 tion afforded, the oven temperature is maintained accurately in accordance with the dial indications.

The provision of a flexible coupling not only permits of simplied assembly in that but one piece connects the operating member to the adjustable valve 24, but serves also to permit the angular positioning of the axes of rotation of the shaft ends without the necessity of incorporating a drive connection of many parts for communieating the movement angularly. The control of the operation of the oven burner I5 is further simplified by incorporating the manual control for the valve 24 in the shut-off valve 22 so that these are concomitantly actuated by movement of the manual control 30.

An arrangement of .the control device incorporatin'g a flexible shaft possesses another inherent advantage in that the temperature controlled valve 24 and the shut-off valve 22 are po- 05 sitioned remotely with respect to one another so that the heat of the oven, with which the valve 24 is associated, is not readily communicated to the operating parts of the shut-oir valve. The valve 24, by being directly connected to the temperature responsive device 38 is liable to become quite hot when the oven burner is ignited. This valve is constructed so that the various parts will operate properly without regard to temperature change but the shut-of! valve. which comprises relatively rotating parts, may very readily be affected by being heated an abnormal amount. In this device the only direct connection between the automatically. regulated valve 24 and the shut-off valve 22 is through the connecting pipe 35 which is of such length that any heat carried therethrough from the valve 24 is dissipated before that heat can reach the operating parts of the shut-.olf valve 22. Owing to the construction of the exible shaft 65 but a relatively small amount of heat can travel along this member and consequently the valve 22 is effectively prevented from reaching such a temperature that would affect its operation. Temperature change within the exible shaft 65 will in no way affect the I operation of the device in that the positive drive results from the transmission of forces through oppositely positioned members in the form of the two coill springs. Any movement of the parts as a result of temperature change is readily absorbed within the sliding fit of the stud 66 with the socket 68. The control is readily accessible for replacement or repair in that the shut-olf valve can be removed by merely separating the two unions 26 and 34, and by withdrawing the en-l gaging stud 66 of the flexible shaft. In operation, the engagement of the shaft stud and plug sleeve is maintained by the resilience of the coil portion of the shaft which holds the parts in assembly even though these parts are permitted axial freedom of movement.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a range having an oven and a compartment adjacent the oven, a gas burner for the oven, a heat responsive element Within the oven, an automatically operable valve respon 'siveto the action of the heat responsive element `and controlling the supply of gas to said burner,

` valve member, a gas supply conduit between said shut off valve and said automatically operable valve, a panel at the front of said compartment, a control shaft for operating said shut oli valve 'member projecting through an opening in said panel, and a rotary flexible shaft connectin-g said shut off valve member to the adjusting means of the automatically operable valve to adjust the adjusting means by operation of said control shaft.

2. In combination, a range having. an oveny and a burner compartment at one side of the oven, a gas burner for the oven,l a heat responsive element within the oven, an automatically operable valve responsive to the action of the heat responsive element and controlling the supply of gas to said burner, said valve being located at a side of the oven in the burner compartment, adjusting means for said valve for effecting predetermined adjustment thereof with respect to the heat responsive element, a gas supply conduit in the burner compartment, a shut off valve on said conduit and arranged in spaced relation with respect to said automatically operable valve, said shut off valvehaving a rotary valve member, a gas supply conduit between said shut off valve and said automatically operable valve, a panel at the front of said burner compartment, a control shaft for operating said shut off valve member projecting through an opening in said panel, and a rotary flexible shaft connecting said shut oi valve member to the adjusting means of the automatically operable valve to adjust the adjusting means by operation of said controlshaft.

BERTRAND B. KAI-IN. 

